Carlos Miller is founder and publisher of Photography is Not a Crime, which began as a one-man blog in 2007 to document his trial after he was arrested for photographing police during a journalistic assignment.
He is also the author of The Citizen Journalist's Photography Handbook, which can be purchased through Amazon.

Watch: Orlando Cops Left Grasping at Air as Suspect Makes Getaway

July 31, 2016

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A video going viral shows two Orlando police officers struggling to arrest a man before he makes his way into his car and drives away, leaving the two cops grasping for air as they both wind up on the ground.

The surprising part is that the cops did not pull out their guns and fire at the fleeing vehicle.

It looked as if the thought never crossed their minds.

Instead, one cop stands himself up, pulls out his radio and says, “Silver Audi. Black male driving. High rate of speed. Southbound on Orange. He’s going down C.”

As it turns out, there was no need to shoot at the car because the driver ended up crashing into a limo golf cart operating as a downtown taxi, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Antwan Jordan

Antwan Jordan, 27, is now in custody, facing charges of aggravated battery on an officer with a motor vehicle, aggravated fleeing and eluding, leaving the scene of an injury crash, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and resisting and officer without violence.

It all started at around 2:45 a.m. Friday when the two cops riding their bicycles through an entertainment district smelled marijuana in the air, which made them suspect Jordan and a buddy, who were sitting on the trunk of a car, were smoking a joint.

Police say they patted them down, finding a bag containing nine grams of cocaine inside Jordan’s pocket, which is when he tried to break free, sparking the struggle.

Meanwhile, a man named Charles Fernandez pulled out his camera and began recording, which is when the video begins.

“I’m in downtown Orlando enough to know that when someone is struggling with cops, it’s time to start recording,” Fernandez told the Orlando Sentinel, acknowledging that Orlando police do have a reputation for being overly aggressive.

He was surprised when Jordan was able to slither away from the cops and make a getaway, leaving a single Nike sneaker in his wake.

But Jordan crashed into the golf cart less than a mile away, injuring the driver, who was transported to the hospital, but is expected to survive.

Inside the getaway car, police say they found a drug scale, about $2,000 cash and a .40-caliber handgun.

The four-time convicted felon was already on probation for drug possession, resisting an officer and felony possession of a firearm when he was approached after cops smelled the weed.

The lesson here is: if you have that much criminal baggage as well as that much cocaine on you, it’s probably best not to smoke a joint in public.